Third Trimester Checklist to Make You Feel Totally Prepared -

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The Best Third Trimester Checklist

The third and final trimester- it’s incredibly exciting as well as exhausting and a little overwhelming. You can’t wait for your little one to get here but you start to question whether or not you’re actually ready.

This third trimester checklist will help remind you of important things that need to be done before your sweet bundle arrives!

If you enjoy this post, be sure to grab your FREE printable third trimester checklist!

Pack Your Hospital Bag

Before you know it, your due date will start to creep up on you. Early on in this trimester, I would start a list of what you want to pack for the hospital.

I personally had my bag packed a month prior to my due date. Part of me felt a little paranoid and wanted to start it even sooner.

I recommend that you gradually start packing throughout this trimester and that way you won’t feel overwhelmed trying to put everything together at one time.

Put Together Baby Items

If you haven’t already, get your baby gear assembled. The last thing you want is to come home from the hospital and not be prepared.

Make sure your bassinet/crib, changing table, rocking chair, etc. are ready to go. We had our bigger nursery furniture ready to go during my second trimester which brought a lot of relief when we were in the final stretch.

But smaller items such as a swing can be done easily in the third trimester.

Baby Shower

One of the most fun parts of third trimester is your baby shower! Enjoy time with your family and friends to celebrate your little one. If you need help with your registry or you are shopping for someone else’s baby shower, these posts will help you:

Need to start a registry? Create your baby registry on Amazon!

Visit Hospital/Know Protocol

At this point, you probably already know which hospital you want to go to. Make time to visit the hospital and get a tour. You should also talk to your doctor about the protocal for when you should go to the hospital.

The last thing you want is for labor to start and to not know how to get to the hospital, not know where to go once you get there, or have no clue when you should head over.

Once you know the plan, you will feel so much more at ease when it’s go time.

Install Car Seat

This goes along with assembling your baby gear. You won’t be able to leave the hospital without a car seat, so be sure you install it sooner rather than later. Once it’s in your car, you will have time to make sure it’s installed properly and ready for baby.

We LOVE our Peg Perego Convertible Car Seat!

Make Sure Your Leave is Set for Work

Now is the time to make sure everything is set in stone for your maternity leave. Submit any documents you need to HR and make sure everything is set for your coworkers to proceed while you’re gone.

The last thing you’ll want to do is have contact with your workplace when you’re trying to spend time with your baby.

Wash Baby Items

Now would be a good time to wash all those baby items: clothes, blankets, sheets, burp cloths, etc. We’ve been using Dreft Newborn Detergent, it smells amazing!

Make Arrangements for Other Children & Pets

One of the most important things to do this trimester! Make sure that you have arrangements for someone to watch your other children and/or your pets while you’re at the hospital. And be sure to have a back up plan in case someone is unable to come through.

Order Breast Pump

Whether you’re getting your breast pump for free through insurance or you are ordering one, make sure it’s set to arrive well before your due date. You’ll want to read the instruction manual as well as sanitize the parts before you use it.

Choose Pediatrician

This was something I kept putting off but eventually got around to. You’ll need to know which pediatrician you want to go with because you will be making a visit to them ASAP after you get home from the hospital.

You also want to make sure that you take your time to do your research and pick the best doctor for your baby, so don’t slack on this!

Rest When You Can

It’s been said a million times before, but slow down and rest any chance you get.

I know how difficult it can be to sleep in your third trimester. But even if you can’t sleep, taking time to just lay down and watch TV is a great way to rest and take time for yourself.

Your whole world will revolve around making sure everything is ready for baby, but don’t forget about yourself in the process.

Prep for Postpartum

Lastly, you’ll want to make sure you’re ready to take care of yourself once your baby is here. Make sure you are stocked up on all postpartum essentials so that you aren’t making last minute trips to the store.

Check out my postpartum self care bundle! It includes:

A list of 10 journal prompts + a blank page for free writing
A blank page to write down your favorite motherhood memories and milestones (for you and baby)
A self care bucket list
Weekly Check-In Journaling Page

Not sure what you need for postpartum? This post will help: Simple Postpartum Checklist- Essentials to Include

Final Thoughts on this Third Trimester Checklist

You may feel like your head is spinning trying to remember everything you need to do before baby arrives. Hopefully, this checklist helped make it simple for you and highlighted the big essentials.

What did you do to prep in third trimester? What was most important? Share in the comments!